1 . Technical Field
The present invention relates to a seat belt connector assembly for fixing a seat belt to a passenger seat in a vehicle, and more particularly, to a seat belt connector assembly permitting a seat belt to be applied with a sufficient tension large enough to restrain a child seat in a passenger seat.
2. Related Art
A vehicle is generally provided with a seat belt system for restraining a passenger in a passenger seat. The seat belt system typically comprises a three-point seat belt and a retractor, provided at a lower portion of a center pillar, for storing an unused length of the seat belt. The seat belt extends upwardly from the retractor along the center pillar and then extends downward after changing its extending direction at a belt anchor attached to the center pillar. As exemplarily shown in FIG. 1, the seat belt 1 is fixed at its distal end to one side of a seat cushion 3 through a seat belt connector assembly 2 and a fastening belt 5, and is provided at its intermediate portion with a tongue plate 1b, which is adapted to be coupled to a belt buckle 4 fixed to another side of the seat cushion 3.
When using the seat belt, a seated passenger pulls the seat belt 1 to extend diagonally and downwardly in front of the torso of the passenger, and couples the tongue plate 1b to the belt buckle 4. Thus, the torso and hip of the seated passenger are restrained by a shoulder belt portion 1c and a lap belt portion 1a of the seat belt 1, respectively.
As exemplarily shown in FIG. 2, the seat belt connector assembly 2 is composed of a molded plastic product 7 in which a metal plate 6 is embedded. The metal plate 6 is formed with a seat-belt insertion hole 8 and a fastening-belt insertion hole 9 which individually permit the seat belt 1 and the fastening belt 5 to pass therethrough.
The seat belt system for restraining a passenger may be also utilized to restrain a so-called child seat in a passenger seat. In such a case, the seat back and seat cushion of the child seat (denoted at reference numeral 30 and shown by one-dotted chain line in FIG. 1) may be restrained by the shoulder and lap belt portions 1c, 1a of the seat belt 1, respectively. On this occasion, the child seat 30 must be securely restrained by the seat belt 1 applied with a sufficient tension. However, it is difficult for a user to determine whether a sufficient tension is applied to the seat belt 1.